Jack’s Winning Words 12/15/21

“The way I see it, if you want the rainbow, you gotta put up with the rain.”  (Dolly Parton)  Someone told me recently, “If you want to put someone in charge of bringing America together, give Dolly Parton the job.”  They’re right! Dolly is one smart cookie!.  It matters not that she was raised “dirt-poor”; she learned  not to make excuses.  If she was given a job to do, she did it.  If “raindrops keep falling on your head,” put up with it.  She had that same attitude in the movie, “9 to 5.”  If she were given the job of unifying America, what do you think she’d do first?  ;-)  Jack   

FROM WILLMAR REV:  Write a song, carrying her message and then tour America letting it be known to waiting audiences. Somewhat like we did those many years in smaller fashion from our respective pulpits. 0;-)===JACK:  I wonder that the words might be that would bring us together.  Billy Graham could bring big crowds together, but so did Trump.  The two used different kinds of words. ===REV:  Remember 1971 with the Coke ad?  I’d like to buy the world a home and furnish it with love. Grow apple trees and honey bees and snow white turtle doves.  I’d like to teach the world to sing (sing with me) in perfect harmony. I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.  That’s the real thing. I’d like to teach the world to sing (what the world wants today) in perfect harmony. I’d like to buy the world a Coke and keep it company.  It’s the real thing. Coke is what the world wants today. Coca-Cola is the real thing. Coke is what the world wants today. Coca-Cola is the real thing.    It was filmed on a hilltop in Italy, we assembled young people from all over the world to bring you this message from Coca-Cola Bottlers all over the world. It’s the real thing – Coke.]  I remember this song catching a "nice cord of harmony" for a time . . . I bet you remember it too! 0;-)===JACK:  Of course I remember it.  It was one of the best TV ads...and it brought many people together to lift a bottle of Coke.  What song will bring us together again?===REV:  “The B I B L E, yes, that’s the Book for me, I stand upon the Word of God, the B I B L E!”  =It did wonders for early America, and it will do wonders in the world and Kingdom to come! 0;-)==JACK:  What about Americans who subscribe to a different book in their religion, other than the B-I-B-L-E?===REV:  I don’t know, you have to do some historical research on those folks…all I know America was founded on the Judeo / Christian Biblical principles, and people have been lining up and crossing our borders to get to America in droves ever since…I believe we have had mosques all along with agnostics and atheists as well,  but we were founded and blessed abundantly those first two hundred years governed by those Biblical principles. It was even added, "in God we trust!" 0;-)===JACK:  How about, "God bless America?"  I wonder what religion Kate Smith ascribed to when she sang that song?===REV:  I’m assuming the one God is the head of?! One of my favorite songs about America: America the Beautiful.  America! America! God shed His  grace on thee, and crowned thy good with brotherhood from sea to shining sea.  0;-)===JACK:  I have suggested "America, the Beautiful" as our new anthem.  Diehards will find it next to impossible to let go of "The Star-spangled Banner."

 

FROM FACEBOOK LIZ:  sounds as if we are somewhat in agreement... wealthy people can be needy. there is too much emphasis on "the almighty dollar." ===JACK:  Governments define poverty by "dollars"; religious people see poverty in a broader way.===LIZ:  the better way to handle social history is to remember, and take pride in, how far we have come as a nation..===JACK:  We still have a ways to go.  "One step, and then another, and the longest journey is over.".===LIZ:  no pun intended, i'm sure.  it takes all kinds to make a world, as my mom said. we must fight to make sure we all are "free to be you and me," as marlo thomas said.

 

FROM DR J IN OHIO:  Love Dolly!===JACK:  Of course you do.  You're from Ohio.

FROM BLAZING OAKS:  She'd probably say, "We're first and foremost, ALL  Americans! Now cut out the crap and act like it!!!===JACK:  I thought that "cut out the crap" were the words of Jesus from a modern-day translation.===MO:  :-)  There could be some translation these days with that verbage, but I haven't seen it! ===JACK:  Somehow, I just can't hear Jesus saying that.  He might say, "Stop your BSing and get to work."  On second thought, even that sounds iffy.

 

FROM SALON SUZY:  Very true! I’m praying for 2022 that we can pull out of the COVID and heal the world===JACK:  COVID is just one of the problems.  Maybe we have to learn to live together and support each other with our personal problems...like some dysfunctional families do.

FROM BS IN ENGLAND:  Encourage them to begin the day by reading the bible as she does.===JACK:  Reading the Bible is OK...but putting the words into action is better.

FROM RS IN TEXAS:  I would suspect one of the first things Dolly might do is bring together people of different races, religions, political parties, genders, sexual orientations, etc. and put together a choir.  One lady who did that formed the Angel City Chorale -  here's a couple of links sto link to their performances on America's Got Talent  - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f3wwqgoQwfE  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B1cjW3rGSvg           

If I remember correctly you like music and I have always felt music has the power to move people.....and to bring them together.  Enjoy.===JACK:  Music does have a way of bringing people together, but from my experience, different generations are attracted to different styles of music.  Are you into rap or Mozart?===RS:  Agreed.  I appreciate Mozart and some of the classics.   Rap not so much....music from the 30's through the mid-sixties....is kind of my sweet spot.  Also songs from musicals....Le Miserable, Phantom of the Opera, etc....and John Williams' music is something I really like.===JACK:  I have a CD: Mozart for the Mind.  I sometimes play it when I'm trying to come up with ideas.

FROM BB IN CHGO:  Dolly is amazing and very careful to be apolitical, not upsetting folks on any side of the political spectrum.  I heard the interview she gave about writing the 9to5 theme and clicking her fingernails to make the typing sounds.  Here’s a little more on the movie and how it has stood the test of time.  Dolly has too!  Have you seen the modern “saint” candles?  I like that Dolly’s the patron saint of East Tennessee😊 Later known as the National Association of Working Women, 9to5 was founded in 1973 by “women [who] decided enough was enough. They felt feisty, empowered and fed up. They decided to fight for fair pay and equal treatment. They started 9to5 and inspired the hit movie and song.” Regarding the song they inspired, co-founder of 9to5 Karen Nussbaum said, “I think the song is brilliant. It starts with pride: ‘Pour myself a cup of ambition.’ It goes to grievances: ‘Barely getting by.’ It then goes to class conflict: ‘You’re just a step on the bossman’s ladder.’ And then it ends with collective power: ‘In the same boat with a lot of your friends.’ So in the space of this wildly popular song with a great beat, Dolly Parton just puts it all together by herself.”  “9 to 5” became an anthem for working women, uniting women together under one battle cry for fair working conditions.  And 40 years later, women are still leaning into Parton’s lyrics. New York magazine writer Rebecca Traister commented “9 to 5” is “simultaneously a song of angry complaint and immense good cheer. And there is something about that combination that makes it kind of addictive and fun.” ===JACK:  How is it that you identify with Dolly?  A 9 to 5er?  A female?  A no-nonsense person?  Other?

FROM SR IN SJ:  Wow! What a question, Jack!  Let me think about that! ===JACK:  ...or, as teachers used to say in olden days, "Put on your thinking cap!"===SR:  I think she might want to go on a speaking tour to try to teach and convince each of us that WE are, each one, responsible. . . She could start with the young since they seem to have themselves motivated and eager to do something  beyond the "same old thing"===JACK:  I'd like to see "the tour" involve spme singing, too...and down-home philosophy..===SR:  I love your inclusion of song and 'down-home philosophy'.  I think Dolly Parton would surely accept both (and so would you and I who want to be in her tour, right?)===JACK:  I've never been on a tour.  Would Dolly uses a bus, a plane, or a hay wagon?  I've read that some TV preachers use expensive jets.

FROM HOMELESS:  I love Dolly! I have always been impressed by her words, philosophies and positive attitude. Not necessarily a huge fan of her singing, but I am a huge fan of Dolly!===JACK:  You could've played her part in From 9 to 5.